Meet carter hawley

CONTACT CARTER

Carter Hawley is the Pennsylvania Policy Co-Director for the National Shattering Silence Coalition (NSSC), where she advances humane, evidence-based policies grounded in early intervention and access to treatment.

Carter’s advocacy is rooted in a decade of lived experience as the parent and legal guardian of an adult daughter living with schizophrenia and addiction. Having navigated the gaps between mental health, housing, and legal systems, she rejects "ideology over reality," insisting that policy must be informed by the lived truth of families on the ground.

A seasoned leader in public administration, Carter previously served as Assistant City Manager for the cities of Kenmore and Woodinville, WA, and Associate Vice President for the United Way of King County. Her deep experience in governance and systems-level problem solving allows her to bring a steady, nonpartisan, and strategic voice to legislative conversations.

In addition to her policy work, Carter is an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church and serves as the Executive Director of the Association for Episcopal Deacons, supporting over 3,000 advocates nationwide. Her ministry bridges the gap between faith and public life, emphasizing the ethical duty to protect the dignity of those most at risk.

A certified Mental Health First Aid trainer and NAMI family support leader, Carter is a frequent speaker and writer on psychosis, anosognosia, and the complex tensions families face when navigating SMI. She shares her reflections on caregiving and systemic failure through her Substack newsletter, giving a voice to the often-hidden struggles of families in crisis.